ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TOURISM

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-DILIMAN

A Trip to Galera
This paper talks about the author’s entire experience on her trip to Puerto
Galera, Mindoro Oriental in a cultural perspective.

LUNA, Chelsea P.
5/20/2015
 “A Trip to Galera”

The Filipino identity

People from all over the world often hear about the Philippines because of its
‘emerald rice fields, teeming mega-cities, graffiti-splashed jeepneys, smouldering
volcanoes, bug-eyed tarsiers, fuzzy water buffalo and smiling, happy-go-lucky
people’ (Lonely Planet, 2015). But aside from the said trademarks of our country, the
best part of the Philippines is not the places or any other events but the people
themselves. It is the Filipino people who created culture and who made traditions
and history. The Filipinos should be known to the world especially their identity.

Filipinos basically came from the Malay family and with a bit of American,
Chinese, Spanish and Arab blood. For centuries of Spanish and American
colonization, sprinkled with the influences of the merchants and traders, it has been
said that people of a unique blend of east and west evolved.

Although the country was influenced by the eastern and western cultures, the
Philippines never failed to retain its distinct characteristics. They are still evident in
the present and modernized culture of the Filipinos (i.e. religion, kasabihan, spiritual
beliefs, etc.). In fact, there are some parts of the country where we can see the so-
called “indigenous” people who are still living according to the ancient traditions.

An important weekend getaway

Last May 1, 2015, the Tourism and Philippine Culture students under Sir
Felipe de Leon had our field trip in one of the most popular destinations among the
domestic travelers, the municipality of Puerto Galera in Mindoro Oriental. In this trip,
we are neither after the beach nor do the falls but we have a different purpose: (a)
to explore the heritage of the well-being of the Mangyans, (b) to appreciate the
essence of the different Filipino cultures manifested in the place, (c) to see how did
people of Puerto Galera evolve by its surroundings and how does it affect their
traditional culture, and (d) to know the Mangyans more and experience their own
culture (livelihood, writing, houses, etc.). Although most of these are to give
importance to the Filipino culture, there are also some natural attractions included in
the itinerary for the students to experience the nature’s bounty of Mindoro.

Before the trip

We gathered in the checkpoint area along University Avenue. The bus will be
leaving at 7 and therefore a 5 a.m. assembly time was arranged. Though it was said
that everyone should be at the meeting place at exactly 5, a lot of students were late
and some are even later than 7. Is this what they call Filipino time?

In a lecture that I attended, I remembered a professor saying that it is really

not Filipino. It was the Spaniards who taught us the idea of being late. In Hispanic

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times, the Spaniards wanted to be superior in everything that they do. They wanted
to be revered and adored by the Filipinos. They wanted to feel special and they
often do this in occasions and gatherings. The officials will arrive late so that
everyone will notice their arrival and the importance of their presence.

During the colonization of the Americans, William McKinley said that they
want to “educate the Filipinos, and uplift, and civilize, and Christianize them.” For
them, Filipinos were uneducated, uncivilized, and unchristian. This had become the
American thinking of the Filipinos. The Americans found a way to criticize the
Filipinos by creating the concept of American time which is early and Filipino time
which is late. Thus, this has become a part of the Filipino culture which is still
evident up until these days.

There was another problem when the tour operator did a roll call of the
names of the people who are paid for the trip. Weendy, my buddy, was not called and
she told the operator immediately. We were wondering why they not gave any proof
of payment the moment we gave our payments to them. It is also possible that
Weendy had a Bahala na mentality that is why she did not ask for a receipt. Anyhow,
they were able to fix it and we started on our journey.

First boat ride experience

Mindoro can be reached after a three-hour drive from Metro Manila and a
one-hour boat ride to Galera. Like the other students, it was my first time to be at
the Batangas Port and just by seeing the waves of the sea makes me feel dizzy.
While the others are excited for the boat ride, I was extremely nervous when I had
to walk in a narrow wood just to ride the boat. It was moving a lot because of the
waves and because of the other people inside the boat. I tried to calm myself so that
I can enjoy the beautiful view of the sea. I was a bit worried because there were no
life jackets and I just realized that the life jackets were placed above the deck. Why
are the people not wearing them? Is it because they also do not know there are life
jackets above? Why the boat driver did not tell us? What is the use of those life
jackets if they will only keep them?

On the other hand, the view a few meters away from the White Beach is
priceless. We were in awe when we saw the stunning, huge rock formations. The
shore has an amazing view from afar. Someone can tell right away that the beach is
very much alive seeing a flock of tourists along the shores and doing water sports.

Arrival in Puerto Galera

At last, we finally reached the shores of Puerto Galera. A shuttle fetched us

upon going to the hotel since it is a bit far from the terminal. When we arrived, there
was a welcome drink for all of us and a welcome banner is posted in the lobby. I
found the receptionists brilliant and accommodating in every way.

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 The four of us (Weendy, Rin, Diane, and I) finally got our room. The moment
we got into our room, we immediately checked the bathroom if it is clean. Then we
proceeded to the restaurant to have our lunch after a tiring travel.

An unforgettable search

After eating lunch, I headed straight to the information desk to ask if there is
a chapel near the hotel. I grew up in a very religious family. Ever since I was a kid, I
always make sure to attend the church worship service every week. It has also
become my goal to attend the worship service in the different parts of the world. Of
course, that includes Puerto Galera.

The receptionist, Ate Lorgine, gave me a map of Mindoro. She also gave me
some instructions and reminders about commuting in the island. I learned that there
is only one mode of transportation which is the tricycle. Another thing that surprised
me was the fare. If you rent a tricycle (the tricycle will not fetch other passengers
along the way), you will be paying P200 (one way). If you do not want to pay that
much, there is a regular tricycle that fetch other passengers along the way until you
reach your destination (just like how jeepneys work). You only have to pay P25 for
that (one way).

Moira and I decided to just rent a tricycle since we do not know yet the exact
location of the chapel. We might get lost if we will ride a normal tricycle. Kuya Bien,
the tricycle driver, brought us to the municipal hall of Puerto Galera. We went to the
information desk and asked for the nearest church. The people are very
accommodating and nice. It was said that hospitality is the highest of virtues among
the Mangyans that is why when a traveler arrives, he won’t be afraid that he may not
be welcome. Filipinos indeed are very hospitable especially to the other people.

We found the church in Tabinay. It took us about an hour of tricycle ride.

Even though it was a long ride, we were able to see the magnificent and breathtaking
views of the mountains including the famous Mt. Malasimbo. The place was a bit high
that is why you can see the picturesque view of the Tabinay beach and the island of
Sto. Niño.

The church is elevated and in order to get to the chapel, we have to climb a
stair. We were able to meet some people inside the church and the atmosphere was
great. The moment we met we shook hands and talked like we knew each other for a
very long time. I guess this is the concept of Filipino connectivity and
pakikipagkapwa. The people are very warm and kind. Even though we are strangers
and it was our first time to meet, they did not treat us as “others”.

Certainly, Filipinos like to experience the multidimensional wholeness of life.

To get to know us better, they asked us a lot of questions like where did we come
from, are we a having field trip, where are we currently staying, from what local

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congregations are we, what offices do we hold in church, and other inquiries. They
are not satisfied just by knowing our names.

After looking for a church, I decided to make the most out of my P200. I
decided to continue exploring the island by going to the bayan and other barangays. I
stop in every point to eat snacks and to buy pasalubong for my parents but I was not
able to discover the trademark food of Mindoro. I asked the Mangyans but they, too,
do not know if they have something original in their cuisine. I was able to reach
Calapan (not the city) and was able to see a tamaraw. There is not much difference
with the carabao except its horn, the tamaraw got a V-shaped horn. I wanted to take
a picture of it but unfortunately, my phone had a low battery. Near the area is the
famous Tamaraw Falls but I need to hike a mountain before getting to the falls. I was
not able to go there since it is already too far.

Beach mode

I asked several Mangyans what could be a famous attraction in the beach and
a lot said that I should get to see the beautiful sunset view. I tried my best to be at
the hotel before the sunset. At around five in the afternoon, I did a tourist walk on
my own along the shores of the famous White beach and bought some souvenirs. In
the great sunset view, I saw the flock of tourists doing different kinds of activities.
Some are into water sports, some are just relaxing. The beach, without a doubt, has
an extreme beauty that is comparable to our famous beaches like Panglao and
Boracay.

At night, you can experience the nightlife that Galera offers. While walking in
the beach during the afternoon, I talked to some tourists and vendors and asked what
to expect at night. They told me that there will be various gay shows and a reggae
concert at the Coco Aroma bar. I told my classmates about it and we went to see the
nightlife of Galera together.

There were a lot of fire dancers doing fire tricks and some tourists even took
a photo with them while fire dancing. You can also see crowds getting crazy because
of the side-by-side gay shows showing different performances. Nestled in the
serene section of White beach in Puerto Galera, Coco Aroma Restobar and Cottages
is definitely the backpackers haven. Like a scene from Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The
Beach”, staying in one of Coco Aroma’s original nipa huts is truly a unique island
living experience. But during the night, you can see the owner with his band
performing some impromptu reggae songs with different themes. By observing the
night scene of the beach, you can see how expressive the Mangyans are.

The other side of the road

Despite the beach being one of the best attractions in Luzon, there are some
negative implications brought by mass tourism. When I did a tourist walk, I talked to

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some international tourists and asked their purpose of visiting Galera. Most of them
told me that they want to see the beach. Why not Boracay or Panglao? A French
tourist told me that he chose Galera because of its proximity to Manila and it is
relatively a cheaper alternative to the popular island destinations of Boracay, Cebu
and Bohol.

They are only after the beach and do not really know about the Mangyans
living in the island. I told them about the Mangyan Village where they could find the
indigenous people and they said that they would want to go but they do not know
where is it. This is a clear manifestation that the government was able to develop
Puerto Galera as a tourism destination but not as a cultural attraction.

When it comes to the economic status, Puerto Galera was able to reach its
peak because of the tourism development. But it is also because of the sudden
development that the environment is being degraded. This island transformation
might also cause people of Mindoro to forget about their traditional culture. Another
social-cultural concern is the culture clash that might happen between the tourists
and the locals.

The highlight of the trip

Everyone woke up a bit late and had breakfast together in the restaurant. All
of us were very excited because we are going to the Mangyan Village. While having
breakfast, Diane accidentally spilled her juice on our table. The OJTs quickly cleaned
up the mess. They already knew what to do and we did not even tell them to clean it.
This is another indigenous skill that the Filipinos are known for – the nurturing
quality. This is also the reason why we are good in services.

The setting is buffet style – a Filipino setting where we can choose any food
that we like without the order of the chef. I was expecting once again to taste a
Mindoro dish but they did not serve any.

The Mangyan Village

A generous family fell in love with the Mangyans and this community is their
love letter to them. The houses, facilities, public school and the children’s education
are all provided for by the foundation of this big-hearted family.

At the foot of Mt. Malasimbo, you will be mesmerized by the quaint town of
the Irayas called the Mangyan Village. Newly constructed Mangyan houses decorate
the area and facilities (basketball court, school, etc) evoke an atmosphere of a
simple life that is truly indigenous but also very welcoming. There are also
“caretakers” who help in maintaining the order in the village and they also serve as
tour guides for the tourists.

Mangyans up close

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 ‘All of the mountain and forest tribes of the rugged interior of Mindoro Island
are called “Mangyans”’ (Twedell, 1970). There are several Mangyan indigenous
groups that can be found in different regions: (a) the Iraya, Alangan, and Tadyawan
in the north, and (b) the Hanunoo, Buhid, and Batangan in the south. Puerto Galera is
in the northernmost part of the island of Mindoro. Therefore, we can assume that the
tribe found in the area is called “Iraya”.

After immersing myself with the Mangyans, I noticed the evident forms of
culture. First, Mangyans are working hard to satisfy their basic needs – culture of
simple needs. Taking dried nito grass and forest vines, the women Iraya-Mangyans
labor over a woven basket that is not a little over 22 inches in height for about three
months. It is a meticulous and patient process of weaving, taking the thick, dried
forest vines and slowly weaving the sturdy nito grass through it in a circular motion.
Their nito baskets carry intricate woven patterns that some say are unique to them.
These beautiful works of art also shows that the Mangyans devoted themselves in
discovering creativity and wisdom – culture of shared being.

In a special outbound lecture led by Sir Felipe de Leon, the Mangyans showed
us their music, dance and taught us some native words and quotes. One can see the
Mangyan’s ethnicity throughout the entire lecture and I can tell that everyone is so
fascinated about discovering another ethnic group.

On the other hand, we can also see another form of culture if we will think
deeper. Knowing that it is the Ayalas who gave the Mangyans a source of livelihood
(nito-weaving), it is also possible that they are just using the Mangyans for their
own benefit. Using their power, it will be easy to fool the Mangyans. They will do
manipulation just to experience pleasure, comfort and other forms of wealth.

The Mangyans have shown us some of the indigenous Filipino skills that they
possess. Obviously, the first one is expressiveness which can be seen in their art
and architecture. Next is the nurturing qualities of the Mangyans – how they took
good care of the tourists (especially when I missed the trail and got lost). Mangyans
also have great social networking skills. Though they are a bit of a shy type, they
love to connect to other people . It was believed that ‘If Filipinos love to connect to
people, they will excel in bringing people together.’ (De Leon, 2015). That is one of
the reasons why Puerto Galera became a famous tourist destination.

An indigenous skill which is common to all Filipinos is having strong family

ties. In a Mangyan house, you can see three generations living together. During their
free time, they usually bond with the other members of the family by weaving-
baskets and by making other products. Their love and devotion for their family is
apparent in what they call the guruan system. The eldest takes the place of the
parents during their absence and is one considered the second parent. He/She is
likewise considered the intermediary between the parents and the younger siblings.

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 Perhaps, people might say that the Irayas do not have access to a proper
education because they are isolated in the mountains. But despite all the hindrances,
their desire to gain knowledge is burning. Like what I have mentioned, I got lost in a
trail going to Talipanan Falls. Along the way, I met four Iraya kids playing in the
bottom of the falls. I decided to join them and know their stories. I asked what they
think is different about the Mangyans. Jerome told me, “Malungkot po.” They wanted
to experience the life that we have. They envy us because “…galing po kasi kayo sa
Maynila.” For them, Manila is where they can get a good quality of education. Manila
is a place where they can see the things they have not seen before. Manila is a place
for “mayayaman”. That is why they look up to those who are from Manila.

This is the reason why they want to strive hard in studying. Three of the kids
are already in grade 5 while the other one is in grade 3. I told them that they should
continue in dreaming big and do not ever give up regardless of all the trials and
obstacles that might come. But I also mentioned that their impression of Manila is
wrong. They should not graduate from college because they wanted to go to Manila
and find a job. It is not only in Manila where they can find success. 'If you are the
best in your field, then, you will be successful.’ (De Leon 2015). They should finish
their studies because their families and the entire village would want them to be of
greater help. They should be able to contribute something to their village that will
lead to the development of the Mangyans. While the kids are telling their stories, we
are also having a tour in the school made by the Ayalas for the grade school children
and we also dropped by in the Day Care Center of the village.

No concept of war

Imagine a village that is very peaceful and free from any chaos. I bet
everyone would want to live in that village. Now, pack your things and let’s go to
Mindoro. The Mangyans are peace-loving people who would rather run away than
fight. They don’t have a word for war in their languages. However, there are various
Mangyan words for peace like kaalenan, kapiyan, kafiyaan, kahusayan, kapiyaan,
kasadyaan, mapya and mabayan.

Possible loss of ethnicity

We have seen the rich culture of the Mangyans. But due to the continuous
development and modernization of the place, it worries me if they would be able to
preserve their traditions. In fact, the Irayas that we visited is not that traditional
anymore. Most of them do not know their native language and their writing system
and only the very old ones know about it. They do not wear the traditional Mangyan
attire anymore. If you go inside their houses, you will see appliances like washing
machine, stove and others which indicate that they have been civilized for a long
time now.

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 Being a tourist destination, there might be a possibility that the traditional
culture will eventually fade. Other cultures might influence the Mangyans which can
cause a significant change in their lifestyle and probably, they will completely forget
about their heritage.

A hidden beauty

Everyone was astonished in our Mangyan Village trip. It was really nice to
see the katutubos and knowing them in a different perspective is something else. I
could not justify it and it is really hard to explain but the feeling of joy is a sure
thing. A little while after meeting with the Irayas, we headed to Talipanan Falls
which is just a 30-minute trek from the village. We were supposed to go to Aninuan
Falls but the trail is harder and farther and we only have quite some time before
lunch.

Because we were still busy engaging with the Mangyans, our classmates left
us behind. Good thing that there is a trail to follow. The very rocky road and steep
ground made it hard for us to trek. I guess it was only me who think it was
challenging! Even with a tough trek moment, we managed to enjoy the natural beauty
of the place. The rock boulders have very nice formations. You could hardly feel the
raging heat of the sun because of the striking, thick trees which cover the entire
mountain. Along our way, we met a lot of tourists coming to and from the falls. We
kept on asking if the falls is already near and they also kept on answering yes which
always brings us hope.

When I was about to reach the falls, I saw a body of water, perhaps the
bottom part of the falls. It is where I met the four kids. We swam together, caught
suso, played inside the Day Care Center and they also toured me in their village.
While playing, I was able to meet their families and had some chitchat with them.
That is how I was able to learn more about the Irayas.

The last night

It seemed that everybody was excited to finish dinner. A group of high school
students performed in the lounge some Philippine folk dances like cariñosa,
pandanggo sa ilaw, sayaw sa bangko and tinikling. It was both amazing and
breathtaking as they dance with candles in their heads and in a narrow chair. My
classmates and I even got a chance to try dancing with them. That was my very first
pandanggo sa ilaw dance. It made me wonder how they able to keep their candles
balanced in their heads. Only then we realized that it is really hard to learn a folk
dance. It is truly an art which takes time to master.

Goodbye, Mindoro!

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 It was still dark when I woke up. I have to admit that I was not able to get a
good night sleep because it was too noisy outside. When I went outside our room to
fetch Moira, I realized that it was my schoolmates who flocked a room and did some
partying. I wonder why the hotel did not do something about it. They can actually
disturb the other tourists and the tourists might complain about them.

Moving on, we went to Brgy. Tabinay to attend a worship service. Kuya Bien,
the tricycle driver who came with us days before, was waiting outside the hotel’s
lobby when we got out. The worship service lasted for about two hours but we were
happy to know that Kuya Bien actually waited for us so that we will not have to walk
meters away to get a tricycle. The only thing I noticed while going to the church is
that the roads are very scary. It was still dark plus the zigzag roads. The
government should have put some street lights to avoid possible accidents that may
happen especially in the zigzag areas.

When we got back to the hotel, some students were already having their
breakfast. We decided to eat even though some of our classmates are not yet awake.
It was the best time to talk about our entire experience during the trip. Then, sir De
Leon instructed us to start packing our things because we were going to leave very
soon.

Boxing talks

As everyone knows, that day (May 3, 2015) was the date of the famous
Filipino boxer, Manny Pacquiao’s fight against the America’s golden boy, Floyd
Mayweather Jr. All of us were desperate to watch the fight but we couldn’t since we
were on a boat ride. At around 12 o’clock, I tried calling my mom and she kept on
updating me every round. Same goes with the others who were too focused on their
phones to monitor Pacquiao’s fight. In the end, the Filipino people lost their battle. In
spite of this lost, the people are still rejoicing and that is one trait that we, Filipinos,
only have.

The Arrival

After a tiring journey, we were able to reach UP Diliman. Everyone bid their
farewells and went their separate ways. Of course, the tourism experience would not
be complete without the “word of mouth”. Once I got home, I immediately told my
mother how great the trip was. That the trip proved me wrong. That the trip made
me realize the goodness of the Ayalas to the Mangyans. That the trip made me
realize how blessed I am for having a good education, how great it is to be a Filipino,
the diversity of our culture, and the beauty of our country.

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Bibliography

Barbarian, K. (1977). The Tribal Distribution of the Mangyans. Philippine Quarterly

of Culture and Society, 5(12), 5-11.

De Leon Jr., F. (2015). A Heritage of Well-Being: The Connectivity of the Filipino.

1-12.

Introducing Philippines. (2015). Retrieved May 16, 2015, from

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines

Twedell, C.E. (1970). The Identity and Distribution of the Mangyan Tribes of

Mindoro. Anthropological Linguistics, 12(6), 189-207.

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